


we are here

by thestarswhisperback



Category: Beetlejuice - All Media Types, Musicals - Fandom
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Beetleb@bes if you even look at this post i will stomp you to death with my hooves, Emotional Hurt, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Torture, Juno is an asshole, Multi, Polyamorous Character, Touch-Starved, Wings, beej is chonk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 06:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20484461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestarswhisperback/pseuds/thestarswhisperback
Summary: Beej's past still influences him today. Basically the golden couple comfort the manchild when he's hurt.





	we are here

**Author's Note:**

> i suck at summaries but enjoy!!!

Touch.

It had always been a negative thing to Betelguese. The only times the demon experienced it was when he was being beaten by Juno and other ghouls, or during sex. Those touches were never fueled by love or affection, as most were. They were fueled by hatred, disappointment, and lust. They were often rough and left marks on the skin. They hurt, too. They hurt a lot.

But he was a tough demon. He could handle a few whacks to the jaw or a kick to the shin. It was the mental damage that he could barely keep a grip on. Every time somebody raised their arm, he would flinch. Any sudden movement caused the poor soul to panic. Fear lingered in him. He feared another being's touch. Ever since he began dating the Maitlands, this fear only got worse.

He knew that they would never hurt him, or at least he really hoped so. They and the Deetz had conspired to bring him back to life, only to kill him and be banished to the Netherworld. That was their plan. Get rid of him. 

Now, that wasn’t the golden couple’s plan now. The complete opposite, actually. They wanted to get him closer. However, Adam was the first to notice Beej’s caution around them. He noticed how whenever somebody got close, the demon would take a step back. He noticed whenever they kissed, Betelguese would attempt to initiate something more than a simple peck on the lips. Hell, sometimes it worked. However, attempts to take off his shirt would fail. It was strange, how he begged for it then when it finally came to him, Betelguese would run away. Judging from the demon’s advances when they first met, that was the only thing he truly knew how to do.

Barbara had also noticed but thought nothing of it. She thought that was just how Betelguese was. Being a demon and all, she imagined that he didn’t experience gentle touches often. She was right.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------   
The three of them had just finished up yet another movie night with the Deetz family. This week, it was Lydia’s turn to pick a movie. She chose It (2017). Betelguese and her were the only ones who actually enjoyed the film. They laughed whenever the deadly clown spoke, claiming that, “his voice is so damn croaky!” Everyone else, however, just grinned and sat through the torture.

Now, two ghosts and a demon lay in bed together. Well, almost. BJ had placed himself halfway off the bed, as far away from the two as possible. He had experienced enough tonight. He had sat in between Adam and Barbara, and that sensation alone almost wanted to make him break down. Their thighs rubbing together had burned so bad. It hurt like holy water to bare skin. Underneath the pain, however, he enjoyed it. Not in a kinky way, you dirty-minded fuck, in a way that reminded him of being alive. It felt… nice. Though, old habits die hard.   
“Beej?”, Barbara finally spoke when the ghoul nearly fell off the bed.   
“Uh, Ye-Yeah Babs?”  
“Are you okay? You seemed… tense tonight and now you are acting as if we have the plague.”  
The words were meant as a joke, but they still stung. He didn’t realize it was that obvious. Adam’s voice croaked next.  
“Yeah, Gummybear, is everything okay?” His voice was sincere. The demon lightly snarled.  
“I’m fine. Good ole’ me. The ghost with the most.”  
Barbara finally snapped. She knew abuse when she saw it. She couldn’t stand by and let BJ suffer.   
“The ghost with the most fear of being touched? It’s okay, Beej.”  
She quickly added on when the demon had fallen off the edge. The two ghosts were now sitting up, looking down at the terrified demon. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes.   
“Betelguese, it’s okay. We are here.”  
“I k-know! I just, ngh!”

His wits had come to an end. The Maitlands attempted to get more words out of him but were only met with grunts or silence.   
Barbara sighed and slowly crept to the edge of the mattress, gently reaching out. Beej looked at her hand with the same fear of looking a Sandworm in the eyes. The larger man flinched violently when her hand made contact with his shoulder. By now, Barbara was off the bed and was slowly moving her other arm around to hug the demon’s waist.   
The process of getting him back onto the bed was slow, but he was eventually back. Betelguese was sobbing now, to the point  
that Adam was afraid that they were hurting him. Upon being asked, however, the trembling figure finally spoke.  
“N-no. I mean, it burns like h-hell, but in a goodish way? I don’t know, guys.”  
“Oh Beej,” Barbara spoke softly, “How long have you been treated like that?”  
The demon in question gave an inquiring look.  
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you tense up when we get near you. Did they beat you in the Netherworld? Have they hurt you before?”  
“Barbara!”  
Questions flew from her mouth before they could be stopped. Barbara knew it was probably overwhelming, but she had to know. If the ghost ever found out who hurt her demon, they would be sorry.   
“I-I”, Betelguese had no idea how to react to his spouse’s words. Reliving the memories of his days in Hell made his breath quicken and muscles tighten.   
He then gasped aloud when a gentle hand was placed on his cheek, turning the demon’s head. It was from Barbara. The demon felt like he was being interrogated, and damn, did it work.  
“For as long as I can remember. It started with Juno picking on me, then other demons joining in on the fun.”  
The floodgates had finally opened, and they were going to flood everything around it.  
“It was just name-calling, making fun of me. Lots of bad treatment in general.”  
“That sounds like abuse, Beej.”  
“Shh Adam!”  
“They got bored of that quickly, so they started hitting me when they felt needed. I was a walking punching bag. Hell, sometimes not even walking. Just, slouched up against a wall.”  
The two ghosts looked like they could burn the whole of the Netherworld down.  
“T-the worst, the worst of it happened w-when-”  
Betelguese had broken back down into a sob. Adam wanted to hug him in comfort, but that most likely wouldn’t help.  
“Y’know what? Just see for y-yourselves.”  
Bending his waist forward, the demon began removing the loose t-shirt that covered his torso. Adam and Barbara were shocked and scared at the same time. A million different things could’ve been under that shirt, but they weren’t expecting this.   
In between his shoulders, there were two thick, long scars across his back. Around the tender scars were bruises, that still appeared new, and red, puffy skin. All of this looked like it had happened just that day. They came to a silent conclusion: He once had wings. Before either ghost could say a thing, Betelguese spoke.  
“I-I get it if you guy’s don’t love me anymore, but let me explain. Juno thought I didn’t deserve them, I wasn’t worthy of em’. Wings are a large show of power in the Netherworld. Power was somethin’ I didn’t have. So instead of just poofin’ them away, she tore them from my back. Ripped them from my bones.  
He spoke quickly as if he were to be banished at any second.  
“Betelgeuse.”  
“I had no choice, but if you guys don’t want me around anymore-”  
“Betelgeuse.”  
“I completely understand, just say the w-”  
“Lawrence.”  
The mention of his first name made the demon’s mouth shut quickly. The fangs the protruded from his mouth dug into his upper lip.   
“Come here, hon’.”  
Adam slowly enveloped the ghoul in a hug, nudging him back down to the bed, back down to Earth. If Lawrence wasn’t sobbing before, he was now. He wasn’t even trying to hide his cries at this point.   
Barbara was next to lay her body on the demon's side. She brushed her hand up against his cheek, nudging a strand of deep blue locks from his red eyes. She had covered his entire left side with herself and was now intertwining their legs. The ghost then moved her hand down to the larger man’s hip and in rubbed it gentle circles.  
Eventually, Betelguese’s sobs stopped wracking his body and he found it easier to breathe. Not like he needed it, but breathing felt nice during these moments. It felt clearing. He was still shaking, vision still blurry with tears, but his mind was getting better. Their touch felt holy, or at least what he believed was. No, he knew that this was holy, it had to be.   
The three knew there would be much to discuss in the morning, but for now, they had to ease the demon’s hunger for affection. Once he had received his fill and calmed down, they would talk. But for now, the golden trio lay in bed together, basking in their company.

**Author's Note:**

> if you cried, don't worry, I did too. (also thanks Beetlejuice discord for encouraging me to finish this xD)


End file.
